This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

Mountain style kids' room photo in Minneapolis

Mid-sized elegant gray floor and slate floor mudroom photo in Salt Lake City with a white front door and gray walls

Our returning clients, middle-aged professionals, reached out to us to remodel their bathrooms as they transition from raising children to focusing on their own comfort and living space. They asked us to modernize their ensuite and shared bathroom, both of which had become outdated and impractical for their current needs. In the ensuite bathroom, we removed a partition wall to redesign and expand the shower and toilet areas, creating a spacious open-concept layout. We added custom cabinetry with pull-out pantries, finished in a bright paint, and a large linear perimeter for ample storage and countertop space. The countertops and backsplash feature dusk veining, paired with brushed nickel sinks, faucets, and cabinet hardware, giving the space a contemporary yet timeless update. A new curbless glass enclosure adds a striking focal point, while the removal of an underused angled jetted tub creates space for an elegant freestanding tub. In the shared bathroom, we replaced the tub with a modern curbed shower and enhanced the aesthetic with large, colorful porcelain floor tiles that tie together the artistic essence of the home. The result is a significantly more functional and visually appealing space that reflects our clients' unique style and needs.

When Your Bathrooms Finally Work for You These clients loved their home but found their bathrooms frustrating and impractical. The Primary Ensuite was cramped, the vanity offered little storage, and the walk-in closet went mostly unused. The Shared Bathroom had peeling finishes, rust, and mold, leaving them concerned and embarrassed when guests visited. Our renovation transformed both spaces into functional and beautiful bathrooms. The Primary Ensuite now features a spacious walk-in steam shower, a double vanity with plenty of storage, and improved layout for better flow. The Shared Bathroom was fully updated with new finishes, fixtures, and proper ventilation. Large-format tiles, Brushed Nickel plumbing fixtures, Matte Black accents, and custom glass details create a cohesive, modern look. Even unexpected challenges, such as a hidden plumbing stack, were solved without compromising the design vision. The result is a home that finally feels complete, with bathrooms that are calm, practical, and enjoyable to use every day. Sosna Home Renovations 7250 Keele Street, Unit 372 Vaughan, ON L4K 1Z8 416-888-7366 Email: contact@sosna.ca Website: www.sosna.ca

Kids' bedroom - bedroom and mid-sized transitional boy concrete floor kids' bedroom idea in Orange County with white walls

Anne Buskirk
Living room - contemporary look-out light wood floor and beige floor living room idea in Indianapolis with beige walls, a ribbon fireplace and a tile fireplace

Converted existing laundry room to shared full bathroom. The basic scope of work in the bathroom included adding a separation wall with new pocket door, ran plumbing and drainage for new shower/tub with tile shampoo niche and tile to ceiling, light/fan combo, toilet, single sink vanity, light fixture, tile flooring, baseboards and more. Once we had both rooms separated, we relocated all W/D connections to laundry area, installed new tile flooring with baseboards (to match the bathroom) and more.

Meghan Beierle-O'Brien
Inspiration for a timeless closet remodel in Los Angeles

photography by Juan Lopez Gil
Inspiration for a bedroom and small contemporary girl dark wood floor kids' bedroom remodel in New York with blue walls

Taylor Cole Photography
Mid-sized eclectic gender-neutral medium tone wood floor nursery photo in Orange County with beige walls

Peter Rymwid This lovely shared bath required a unique design solution. The goal was to improve the layout while re purposing the existing cabinets and shower doors while not moving the major fixtures. Introducing a raised corner section added interest and display space while separating the vanities. By relocating the dressing table we were able to provide 2 separate vanity areas. Pearl-like beads on the drawer and door fronts provided the inspiration for the penny glass floor tile detail. A Moravian Star pendant added whimsy while sconces provided additional lighting.

Eric Roth Photography
Inspiration for a bedroom and mid-sized eclectic girl medium tone wood floor and multicolored floor kids' bedroom remodel in Boston with white walls

Large farmhouse master black and white tile, white tile and ceramic tile multicolored floor and cement tile floor freestanding bathtub photo in Omaha with gray walls, a hinged shower door, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a vessel sink and white countertops

Example of a country formal light wood floor living room design in Minneapolis with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, a metal fireplace and no tv

White Cararra Marble Bathroom Remodel Project by JM Kitchen and Bath Denver Colorado
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern master white tile and porcelain tile drop-in bathtub remodel in Denver with shaker cabinets, marble countertops and gray walls

photography by Juan Lopez Gil
Inspiration for a modern bedroom remodel in New York

Converted existing laundry room to shared full bathroom. The basic scope of work in the bathroom included adding a separation wall with new pocket door, ran plumbing and drainage for new shower/tub with tile shampoo niche and tile to ceiling, light/fan combo, toilet, single sink vanity, light fixture, tile flooring, baseboards and more. Once we had both rooms separated, we relocated all W/D connections to laundry area, installed new tile flooring with baseboards (to match the bathroom) and more.

Behind the central wall in the home is the private zone of the condo. A queen-sized bed is lofted over a built-in desk, bookshelves, laundry, and closet. Plumbing pipe ladders on either side of the bed make for easy ascent and descent from the loft, as well as additional storage for decorative bedding. Photography by Cynthia Lynn Photography